


Commotion

by Ex-Genesis (orphan_account)



Category: Disney RPF
Genre: Fluff, Halloween, Horror, Incest, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-26
Updated: 2010-06-26
Packaged: 2017-11-12 15:54:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/492983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Ex-Genesis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Halloween costumes are supposed to keep them safe, not assist the psychotics.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Commotion

Joe wasn't too proud to beg when he wanted something. Honestly, he'd done it a lot in his lifetime so it wasn't such a big deal to him anymore. It was a means of accomplishing his goals, and so why the heck not? They hadn't had a real Halloween for years, and maybe it was odd that he was thinking about it now that he was an official adult, but he really wanted it. He wanted to feel like a kid again. Of course, he wouldn't tell his mother that was the reason. He didn't mention the word 'traditional' as he begged his mother to let them fly to New York for Halloween, please, please, please, mommy.

Denise, of course had asked him why, and he'd made sure to be thorough beforehand, printing off information about this film festival. It was in NYC, independent horror films making their debut. She knew just how much he loved being behind the camera, seeing people like himself, who were struggling to get themselves taken seriously in that sense work everything out. He loved the technical work behind it and watched for different techniques. At least, he had at the only other film festival he'd ever been to. And even as he'd researched what would get him to New York for the holiday, he'd gotten a bit amped up over it knowing he wouldn't even be going.

Being a mother, at first she said that it was a bit of a trip for just one night, having it not be a concert or an audition, or anything work-related. He'd mentioned how Niagara Falls was her and Nick's idea. How they had gotten to go on a whim on that vacation. That even got her thinking all on her own about how little they did for his birthday. A roller rink? That was fun, but it could have been more. They could have done better, and eventually she guilted herself, with the help of his puppy dog eyes, to say she would talk to his father about it. Which basically meant they were going, and he had thrown his arms around her neck thanking her repeatedly before giving her a peck on the cheek, and running off to tell Nick to pack his bags for the evening.

 

 

 

When they arrived at the airport at noon on Halloween day, Joe had not been sitting beside Nick, but rather Greg. Joe wanted to sit by Nick, of course, but he had plans to make, things to discuss, and he just couldn't do that with Nick. Nick would never be willing to switch bodies with Garbo and go to a store to grab some Halloween costumes! So Greg would have to do. Plus, it helped that Joe and he got along really well and the entire trip was them cracking jokes, sometimes inappropriate, and sometimes family-friendly. Since Garbo was just that cool, much like an older brother to all of them, Joe almost forgot entirely to ask his favor until they were about five minutes from landing and Nick had glanced back at them for the millionth time as Garbo simultaneously asked him which film he was most excited about seeing, which he thought would be the most scary seeing as it was _Halloween_ after all.

"Oh shit," Joe whispered under his breath, turning in his seat to face Greg better. "Dude, I have to ask you for a favor but you have to keep this between us." Joe used his hands to signal who us was, which turned out to be exactly the us Greg had thought it would be and he sighed at Joe a little but let him continue. "So that whole wonderful film thing?"

"The one we came for?" Joe nodded his head and Garbo nodded back, and then Joe turned to look at Nick, Nick looked back, and there was a whole lot of looking and nodding but not so much of the talking, so Garbo elbowed Joe to regain his attention.

"Right!" Joe said a little too loudly causing Denise to turn in her seat a little and look at him somewhat amused and curious. "Uh..." he started at her, "Greg said that I was right-handed and I agree... Right!" It was a little less enthusiastic as last time, but he held up his right hand for effect and wiggled his hands around a little, she smiled and then turned back in her seat shaking her head a little. When Joe looked back at Greg, he was doing the same thing, but Joe shrugged as he continued. "Yeah, that's not actually happening... I'm taking Nick trick-or-treating, but I need-" He paused at the incredulous look his friend was giving him. "C'mon Greg, don't do this to me now. You've always encouraged living life as normal as possible and as frequent as desired. I want to do that, but I need your help, just a little help. Dude, please?" When he heard a resigned sigh, Joe's countenance brightened and he pushed forward. "So all I need you to do is run to a store and pick out a couple of costumes for me and Nick. No big, right?"

"Right," Garbo sighed out and then turned to look out the window. He was silent for a few moments, biting his bottom lip and adjusting the glasses sitting on his nose as Joe faced forward, knee bouncing excitedly. Then, "Joe, are you sure about this? I mean, I get it dude, I do, but this doesn't seem like the safest idea. It's New York, and it'll be dark out..." He was searching Joe's eyes as if looking for a spark of familiarity but Joe didn't feel the need to register what was being said. "It's kind of dangerous, Joe."

Finally Joe couldn't play off his denial anymore and his shoulders shrugged back into the seat. "I know, okay? I know. But there'll be tons of kids with their parents out, and we won't do anything stupid. _Nick_ wouldn't let me do anything stupid. And I wouldn't let him get hurt, so please? I just want to show him a good time. Besides, New York has a lot of great parts to it, which is why I picked it."

Again with the incredulous look. "Joe, that isn't why you picked it. You picked it because it's busy and there are more ways to distract your mother and get lost in the crowd. I get it, I really do. Which is why I'm gonna help you, but you better fucking take care of yourself and Nick or I'll pummel you into the ground, right?" Joe nodded vigorously, a smile spreading over his face.

"You got it, of course!" he agreed happily, putting out his hand for a five, and he grinned even wider as Greg's hand slapped against his. The small clap attracted Nick's attention, and his gaze was scrutinizing as if he already knew Joe was planning something that would get them in trouble. Joe raised his eyebrows a little in response, blew a kiss with just his lips and winked. Nick only gave a disgusted look back, but Joe could see the smile spread across his face when he'd turned around, cheeks raising a little as the corners of his mouth pressed them up, and the way Nick's neck was angled, he could tell his little brother wanted to turn back around again, but didn't until the were off the plane and Joe's arm was around his shoulder anyway.

 

 

 

Once they were in the hotel room, Nick had wasted no time asking Joe what he had up his sleeves. Joe had answered jokingly, "Arms. Wanna see what they can do?" Nick scoffed, rolling his eyes, but there was a hint of a smile on his face never the less. After that, Joe had sat down on the bed beside his brother and told him everything starting with how he convinced their mom to let them come here, ignoring Nick's protests that he'd already heard that part of the story, brushing it off with a, "Well it was genius, Nick, now listen carefully and learn. And this time, you might take notes, eh?" Again, Nick rolled his eyes, but he leaned back on the bed and listened to Joe's voice anyway.

"So that's why you sat by Greg?" Nick asked, yawning when Joe had finished speaking. Joe nodded his head. "Oh," Nick said, and Joe, for his brother's sake, ignored the slightly embarrassed blush that made its way onto Nick's cheeks. For the time being, he would pretend as though he didn't know what that meant, like he didn't know that Nick had been a little upset Joe hadn't sat with him, that he was maybe a little jealous but mostly just felt lonely over the fact Joe hadn't picked him for the flight. They didn't always have to sit by each other; Nick just usually preferred it, and usually it was him who went to sit by Garbo or Frankie, or Joe by Kevin, and whenever that happened it didn't feel any bit of a threat, or too off. This way though? Had, a little. Nick hadn't liked it at all.

The knock at the door came at a good time, when both he and Nick had fallen silent and didn't really know where to go from there. It was god-awful hard to ignore something right in front of you. When Joe opened the door to see Garbo standing there with bags in his hands, his ho-hum face changed into an excited one as he took the bags from Garbos' uplifted arms. Greg pushed Joe into the room a little more and stepped in, closing the door behind him. "Thanks, man!" Joe said as he dumped the contents of the bag onto the bed in front of Nick.

When Joe started rifling through everything and Nick craned his neck a little to see better without making his curiosity too obvious, Greg started in on something of an introduction. "There was this costume place just down the street, so I went in and looked for stuff that looked like it was selling out really well." Nick stopped paying attention to the clutter in Joe's hands and looked up curiously at Garbo. "You'll blend in even better," he explained a small smile on his face when Nick nodded appreciatively. "Anyway, I got the alien one for Nick, and the werewolf one for Joe."

"Because I'm bad and dangerous?" Joe asked, smirking and looking up to Greg. Nick cuffed him at the back of his head, and Joe dropped the look but didn't seem too phased as he pulled the mask on over his head. "Oh God..." he said before coughing a little, "We're gonna have air these out for a while. I can't even breathe in here..." Nick pulled the mask off for him, since Joe was kind of a masochist like that and hadn't moved at all to do so himself. Joe smiled at him after, but grabbed his and his brothers masks, and sat them up inside-out on the dresser so the air could get to them.

"Thanks for your help, Greg," Nick offered, still feeling a little off for being at all jealous about him sitting by Joe on the way to New York.

"Not a problem, man," he said with a charming smile before heading toward the door. He stopped when Joe called out for him to wait.

"Dude, we don't have like... the buckets or whatever." Joe looked genuinely concerned about this, but Greg shook his head.

"Just use the pillow cases."

"But they'll know we stole them! The insignias are stitched on," Nick argued.

Garbo smirked, putting his hand on the door handle and turning it. "Trust me, they won't be paying attention to your pillow cases, not tonight."

 

 

 

"Oh my gosh," Joe heard over the door between the stalls of the gym bathroom downstairs in their hotel, and he started laughing just at the thought of what could be coming. "These pants are even tighter than what I usually wear!" Nick's voice sounded kind of stressed. Joe laughed a couple seconds more as he pulled his only-gonna-last-a-night fabric vest over his new, hairy chest before responding.

"Well... Aliens are naked, Nicholas. You might have to go commando," Joe stated trying to sound serious, but smiling all the while. He unlocked the door to his stall and approached the lockers, throwing his stuff inside the one they had gotten a key for. Nick was silent for almost a minute, making Joe wait and lean up against the wall before he said anything back, almost with a resigned tone to his voice.

"Oh you would love that, wouldn't you?" Joe nodded his head, happily answering when Nick couldn't even see. "Did Garbo go to the kid's section for these or something?! Does your costume fit, Joe?" Joe could see Nick shifting on his feet under the space of the door separating them.

"Perfectly," he answered answered brightly but when Nick groaned, his smile dropped and he let his tone drop to neutral. "Listen Nick, unless it's like causing you pain or something, I'm sure it's fine... Don't be so self-conscious. I'm sure it looks fine. Plus, you'll be in a mask and no one's gonna know it's you. So what if you look a little more uh - _defined_ than usual?"

Silence for a moment, and then Joe could almost hear Nick rolling his eyes when he replied, "Joseph. _You'll_ know it's me."

Sighing a little, Joe stepped up to Nick's stall until he had his furry hand flat against it, happy he hadn't put his mask on yet since this was taking so long. "You've been acting weird all day, Nick. Come on... Why are you acting like you can't feel safe with me? And earlier, with Garbo you usually would have given him a high five, or like... actually smiled, but instead you barely said a word to him. It's not like I made out with him, you know. I would never - I don't even look at him like that. I don't look at _any_ guy like that." Nick made a small noise at the last sentence, and Joe's eyes widened a little. " _Almost_ any guy, then. ...The point is I don't like you feeling so uncomfortable around me. Fuck, I've seen you naked plenty of times, Nick J, so why the hell are you acting like a non-naked you would be so horrible? I promise I won't stare at your package, okay?"

Nick remained quiet, and finally Joe smacked his hand as hard against the door as he could, making it shake, making sure Nick paid attention to what he said next. "What the _hell_ , Joe?!" Joe pressed his forehead against the door.

"Listen, Nicholas Jerry Jonas. If you keep acting like this, I am never taking you anywhere with me ever again. I love you, and you can trust me not to be an ass to you." The whole time Joe had been using his I'm-your-brother tone, but this time he used his I'm-your- _older_ -brother tone and it seemed to make something in Nick's head click because he opened the door and came face to face with Joe, an odd smile on his face, apologetic, Joe pointed out just before Nick spoke.

"Sorry. I have been acting weird. I don't know why." It was a lie, that last part, but both accepted it as the truth. It was their truth. What they did was never flirting, was never jealousy, was never a need for something more. What they were was a couple of brothers who happened to be best friends and actually enjoyed spending long portions of the day side by side. That was their truth. But it wasn't _the_ truth, not the whole truth, not that anyone else needed to know that. Joe nodded and handed Nick his mask. They put their masks on at the same time and then Joe pushed Nick's clothes into the locker with his before locking it and handing Nick his pillow case.

"Ready?" Nick nodded, but Joe couldn't see his smile.

 

 

 

Nick and Joe walked down the city streets together keeping an eye out for other trick-or-treaters to follow around until they could find their own houses to to do. After about twenty minutes of nothing but people giving them odd looks, Nick and Joe hailed a cab and had the driver take them to the closest domestic area. He made sure to get directions as they went and texted them to Garbo who was meant to be watching them at the film festival as a precaution. Nick was leaning into his side by the time they pulled up to a district of houses with apartments on either side of the block. "Thank you," Joe said as he fished out some money and handed it to the cabbie before getting out of the car and helping pull Nick out by taking his hand.

"I think I got it, Joe." Joe couldn't help but notice that Nick had waited until after to say so and shook his head, glad for the mask because he could show all the emotion he wanted without getting swatted at by Nick. As the cab drove off, Joe started pulling Nick toward the cloest house with a light on not dropping his hand until he reached the front door, breathed in deep, and rang the door bell.

A rather large woman opened the door a few moments later holding a bowl of candy, all different colors and smiled at them both. "Trick-or-treat!" Joe said kind of excited. She looked over at the alien expectantly and when he still didn't say anything, Joe elbowed him forcing Nick to repeat the sentiment. She grinned at them and then dropped a few pieces of candy into each of their pillow cases. "Thank you," Joe said brightly before leading the way down the walkway and over to the next house.

As the made their way up, Joe turned to Nick and the paused halfway to the door. "When we get back we'll dump out all our candy, sort and split, yeah?" Nick grinned widely at that and nodded before taking Joe's elbow in his hand and going up to the next door a little more excited than before. This time it was Nick who rang the door bell and he even made an effort to say the traditional, "Trick-or-treat!" in unison with Joe, making Joe's face split with his grin. It was almost frustrating having the masks on when both knew they were missing everything about each other's faces even though they could pretty well guess what each other looked like at any given moment.

For about two hours Nick and Joe went house to house, tripping each other up, making up accents, or alien noises, or wolf cries, spicing things up now and again as they went. Nick was actually enjoying himself which meant Joe was having an even better night than he would have been having in the first place. They were getting a little tired though, and Nick's costume _was_ beginning to cut off circulation, plus they didn't want to get caught, so they made their way to a busier street, further away from the housing, but not quite out of the area. Joe was about to call for a cab when Nick looked down an alleyway. "Wait," he said bringing Joe's arm down to his side. Joe gave him a curious look, but of course Nick couldn't see, and he began pulling Joe along with him. "We should tell scary stories or - or something, since it's Halloween right?" And Joe nodded his head, of course, because sure Nick, they only time you get to be a boy is on Halloween. Joe was okay with this idea until they turned the corner.

Once they got about a foot in, however, a cab pulled up the street, and they both knew they should take the easy shot to get back to their hotel. They stepped in smiling, and told the driver where to take them, cracking jokes and laughing at nothing in particular at the same time. When they got back to the hotel, they were both a little flushed in the face, and neither bothered stepping into the stalls to get changed, both stripping like most men who'd used the gym would, changing, letting eyes linger a little too long. It wasn't what Nick was expecting when they got up to their room, but he almost wondered if it had been a part of the plan all along that Joe conveniently left out, that when they dropped their pillow cases of candy on one bed, Joe yawned and pulled Nick along with him as he said a half-assed, "Oh, I'm so tired... Just share with me tonight Nicky," as they both climbed into the same bed. Nick was even more suspicious when he had his back turned to Joe, Joe purposely turned over to face Nick and wrapped an arm over Nick's own. Then it was almost blatantly obvious when Joe stretched yet again, yawning warm, wet breath against Nick's neck, and as his mouth closed again, it happened to be over Nick's skin. Nick, however was not going to object. It was Halloween, and it was the only time he got to be _him_ , costume or not.

 

 

 

The weird thing about getting knocked out is that it makes your body react. A darkness will settle over you and at first it will feel like sleep, and then sometimes, depending on the person, the size of the blow, your body will dream. It will make up a scenario in which you are safe to console the panic raging with in your momentarily paralyzed body so that you might be able to think clearly enough to wake up. "Nick! Wake the fuck up!"

Fairly certain he must be in bed at the hotel, the yell, the desperation in Joe's voice conflicted with his settings, but Nick opened his eyes in a flash. At first it was kind of cloudy but soon his eyesight was clear. His body was moving [he didn't know how], and right in front of him was someone with a knife. A fake knife right? It's Halloween! That must be Joe. Joe wasn't wearing that... Why the hell was he moving? Both bags of candy were on the ground, their work for the night spread across the ground dirty and forgotten.

Without thinking too much, Nick found as much footing as he could and scrambled up, realizing hands fell from under his arms as he lifted himself up and when he turned around to start running whether this be a game, or something else... _there_ was Joe. So the person behind him was - Nick remembered and picked up speed, actually running, grabbing Joe's elbow to help his brother turn around.

He didn't know where the hell they were headed but he realized that Joe, breathing more heavily than usual, had probably dragged him for at least a few feet, and Nick was nothing to throw around at ease. Nick couldn't think so clearly though, because his head was pounding and it ached, and he was pretty sure that whatever had hit him, probably the butt of the knife, when he turned the corner should have kept him out much longer than that.

At the back of his mind he realized there was something warm on his head, sticky, and a dark drop fell into his eye. As he wiped at it, he remembered his costume and was sure that as he blinked it away, he'd just spread blood over his face.

Fingers were grasping at his arm and at first his eyes widened even more and his pace kicked up and he swung his arm out a little, but then he realized it was just Joe, and it felt like neither of them were getting anywhere and he knew Joe felt it too. As much as Nick could afford not to pay attention to the fact that he was running from som stranger who'd knocked him out, who held a knife, whose footsteps were _right_ behind them, he looked through the darkness that left them abandoned in an empty street just off the alley way they had left seconds before.

A building, or someone to help them, shelter, a fucking rifle floating right there in the air for him to grab hold of and swing around to shoot with, anything to help him! He couldn't see a damn thing and Joe was starting to slow down. He looked over at his brother as they slowed down too much, pausing even and Joe was holding his chest a little panting. Nick just wanted to rip that stupid mask off of his face!

Then it clicked for him. Nick let himself hesitate even more when he turned to look and see where their psycho was, how close, probably right behind them, but Nick saw no one, which if anything, made him feel worse. A vanishing act always ended badly as far as he was concerned. Maybe Gary the Great at the State Fair when Nick was eight shouldn't have pulled that joke of, "Oh no! My assistant is lost! My trick failed..." joke after all.

"Joe," he was finally able to speak, finding his voice as he tugged Joe to the left down the street. It was the direction he thought he heard cars coming from, and there seemed to be a few twinkling lights in the distance. He was trying to pick the pace back up but Joe was still lagging and Nick was pretty sure that Joe was just scared as hell, probably letting a few tears escape whether afraid they were both going to die, or afraid that their predator had hit Nick too hard, and Nick had been dead, and now Joe had time to realize he thought Nick was gone, that he'd been dragging his brother's dead body behind him.

Whatever it was, Joe was terrified. Nick could feel it in the way Joe's fingers were trembling, wrapped up in his costume but refusing to let go, holding so tight Nick was afraid it might rip, afraid of what Joe would do if he lost his purchase on Nick until they were both at the hotel in their room with a million security guards around. Until this _freak_ was locked away.

"Joe," Nick repeated more firm and Joe finally looked up and took an extra step in order to align himself with Nick as their walking turned into jogging which turned into running again. They were almost to the lights, the cars when a figure stepped out in front of them. Their whole bodies felt heavy including their lungs, breathing becoming something forced, but both jumped when they saw it and Joe screamed a little at the sight of a knife gripped in one hand. This guy, whoever he was, was in a Halloween costume just like them, and they couldn't see his face. Neither really wanted to.

For a moment it scared them stiff but Nick gripped Joe's shoulder and pushed him onto the grassy knoll helping his brother turn and run. Within moments Nick was basically pulling Joe up the hill, and when he turned to look behind him at his lagging older brother, he saw a stain forming even through the somewhat thick layer of fur, dark, wet, and telling. Nick shook his head, his face scrunching up as tears formed in his own eyes. This was definitely not a prank, not some game, and they had fucking hurt _Joe_. "Fuck," he muttered as he pulled Joe up harder, trying to get them at the same pace again, and that stupid, evil, fucking person was right behind them. "Joe, come on!" Nick shouted angrily, sounding every bit as desperate as Joe had when he'd been crying for Nick to wake up earlier.

On the descent, they were both skidding through the grass, kicking up mud in their wake, but neither noticed, focused on keeping up, not falling. If they fell, the person following them would catch up with them for certain, unless he _was_ playing a game, a horrible, unforgivable, sick, twisted kind of game. Joe almost slipped, almost tripped and it would have sent him face-first into the cement sidewalk, but Nick caught him, an arm going around his waist.

"Joe," Nick huffed out as quietly as possible as they made a sharp turn down another insignificant street, "We have to get somewhere crowded, okay?" Joe didn't respond and Nick hated the feeling that he was so far away, and his mind kept dragging out the idea that maybe Joe was bleeding more than he had considered, that maybe Joe was bleeding way too much. Shaking his head, he kept pushing them both forward. He could hear less cars, but they were still there in the distance, not too far, he kept telling himself. As he neared the end of the street once again, his heart pounding beginning to feel weak with the pressure, he began saying silent prayers in his head but they stopped abruptly as he was forced to the ground, letting go of Joe and felt something sharp and pointed drag across the back of his calf, causing him to scream out at the pain, feeling more of the warm stickiness he felt on his face, on top of his head.

He heard frustrated noises from Joe and turned around scrambling backwards to see Joe hitting their attacked repeatedly, and while it seemed to stun him, Nick knew it wouldn't do much in the end. When he noticed the knife on the ground he called Joe's name as he stood realizing this was their chance, the moment they had to escape the clutches of loneliness, of a doubtless murderer. Joe dropped what he was doing immediately and ran to Nick's side. Clutching each other, working off of each other, they bit through their pain and ran as fast as they could, breathing out sharply, a stab of pain in their lungs when they finally reached a street with lights, with a hotel.

Footsteps were rough behind them soon, faster, faster, making their hearts pump faster, faster, too, and they both knew they'd have to run across the street, cars or not, or be pulled back into the darkness. Nick ignored the tears streaming down his face, the pain radiating off of Joe's stance; he'd probably broken his hand when he was punching him, as well as forced more blood to leak from his body, and Nick could feel blood dripping down his leg, soaking up into the fabric and trailing upwards, a warmth outside the cold he'd feel if they were captured. Without a second more to think, they plunged into the street together, willing their eyes not to shut even as car horns blared at them, warning them of how in danger they were, not knowing how much they'd been fighting for their lives already tonight.

They made it too the island in the middle of the street but still heard cars honking from behind them. Nick glanced back, only to shiver, eyes closing as he momentarily lost it, curling into Joe when he saw they were still being _pursued_. He felt a tug at his arm and immediately bucked up, looking across and running with Joe as though hell was on fire and coming right at him, and maybe it was, for all he knew. At the last second Nick and Joe felt a _whoosh_ pass by them, and both shook furiously even as they ran up the steps to hotel realizing they'd almost, _almost_ been hit by a car coming fast.

They ignored the man at the door but as they stepped into the hotel, Nick felt someone tapping at his shoulder and cried out as he whipped around madly to see a frightened and confused woman in a suit standing there. "Excuse me but there is to be no tric-" Nick ignored her and ran up to the front desk ripping his mask off.

"I - I," he began but soon realized he was sobbing and couldn't form a word much less a sentence which made him sob even harder, because he didn't know at which lengths this man would go to find them, to kill them, have his blood on his hand, on the floor where they stood. Joe rubbed at Nick's back trying to soothe, but he was very close to reaching a similar state himself, and his shhshhing was coming out sharp and jagged. He, too, took his mask off, dropping it to the counter and looking the man behind the desk in the face.

"We're Joe and Nick Jonas and there-there - Oh god, um there's someone after us with a knife and..." The man behind the desk seemed to evaluate the situation better even as Joe spoke, realizing the blood dripping a steady pattern down Nick's face was not fake blood for Halloween, but complete real, and he took out his hankie, pressing it to the boy's head, his face reddening and he immediately picked up the phone dialing 911 as Joe continued, his voice fading in and out a little as he spoke. "He his Nick over the head. He stabbed my - My arm; it's bleeding... so much, and Nick's leg. Oh my God, he got Nick's leg - It'll be okay, Nicky, I promise. It'll be okay, right?" he asked no one in particular. "I tried to stop him, but I don't think - I didn't hardly do - and then Nick, he tried to get me - I ran over to him. We crossed the street, we crossed with the cars coming. We were almost hit by a car!" Joe practically streaked and the costume was too tight, and he was so tired, and so afraid, and he felt eyes on him, making him turn around, back against the desk. If Nick looked one way and he looked the other, no one could get to them.

"It's okay son, calm down, we'll get the police and an ambulance," Joe was assured but it felt nothing like comfort, only reiteration that this was really happening. Joe was looking around everywhere trying to see if their fucking pursuer had entered the building, but he couldn't see the hooded figure anywhere, which probably should have helped him breath, but instead when Nick latched onto his side, he yelped out in fear before turning Nick into his arms and tucking his little brother's head under his chin.

Joe didn't realize, but he began petting Nick's hair before a kerchief was dangled over his shoulder and he took it, pressing firmly down over the top of Nick's wound. After a conversation over the phone with the police department that Joe couldn't hear over the rushing in his ears, the prayer in his heart, and the thoughts cluttering his head, he feels a hand on his shoulder and turns, hyper-aware of the things that near him and Nick. "I need to call your parents." Joe sobbed at that for some reason but eventually pulled his cell phone out of his vest, thankful he hadn't lost it and handed it to the man who promptly dialed the number under, 'Mommy'. "Hello, Mrs. J-Jonas, yes? I am so sorry... Your sons, they're in my hotel lobby. M'am, they've been attacked. Both are standing and I'm sure with a little medical attention they-Yes, I am sure they'll be fine." A pause for a moment, and Joe wondered if his mother was still on the line and then he heard, "Yes, we're at..." Joe let it travel out again, leave his head, but when he heard the hotel name, it sounded familiar.

Almost a thirty seconds later he felt arms wrapped around him and his eyes were closed tight, scared until he breathed in the scent of his mother. "Mom?" he uttered into her shoulder and though it was muffled she answered quickly and hugged him tighter.

"Oh my babies, what happened? What happened? Where's Greg at? He was supposed to be watching you! Are you okay?" She was crying. Joe could feel new wet on top of his sweat, her tears washing over his crumpled form, and Nick was breathing heavily between them until Joe shrugged her off a little so Nick could have air. Thankfully his little brother's crying had died down, though he still hyperventilated a little with sharp, short breaths. "Oh my God. My boys... My poor boys! Your father is out. I'll call him and he'll be here any moment, okay, babies?" She said in a rush as she dialed their father on the phone in her hand, talking just as fast to him telling him to hurry and be back as quickly as possible.

A few minutes later, instead of their father, Garbo walked through the door, and Nick had finally faced forward, backed up into Joe's arms facing the same direction as his brother. While Joe was talking to his mother, Nick was watching the door for dad. When he saw Greg, though, the way Greg looked at them... Like he wasn't surprised at first, but it was only for a second and Nick shook his head, still backing up further into Joe who instinctively tightened his hold to make Nick feel safer. Greg rushed over to them eyes wide, looking a little worse for wear, face red, hair slightly mussed, and he was about to say something when sirens sounded outside, and officers and EMTs came rushing in toward them pushing Greg out of the way. Both Joe and Nick were engulfed in medical terms and the smell of hospital as they were looked over while the officers began asking them questions. Dad came in shortly before the boys were taken to the hospital.

 

 

 

It was a couple days later when Joe and Nick were back on the plane together. They were in trouble for sneaking out, but mostly they were being coddled for having had to go through that. None of them felt particularly safe since their attacker had, of course, not been found, but they were on their way to recovery.

For the most part Joe and Nick weren't apart, except for when one had to use the bathroom or take a shower and even then the door was open, and if one was taking a shower, it wasn't uncommon that the other would be sitting _inside_ the bathroom, waiting. They'd shared their first kiss in the hospital room while their family was out getting them checked out, signing some final paperwork, when the guards weren't paying attention to what was within the room.

Joe had crossed over to Nick's bed, and Nick had sat up immediately, wrapping his arms around Joe's neck. When Joe pulled back, Nick was reluctant to let go, but his arms began dropping anyway. Joe had kissed him then, though, soft and as long as he dared with the door open and his mother about to come back, and Nick pressed back more urgently than he'd ever felt the need before in his life, arms tightening back up around his older brother, holding him close. Their kiss ended when they heard footsteps coming, but Nick just dropped his forehead to Joe's shoulder and didn't move from there. No one even looked at them suspiciously. They both got changed in their room's restroom, sharing a deeper kiss before pulling out, whispering different kind of 'I love you's than they had before.

They'd gotten on the plane after, so it was recent and new, and Joe was basically cuddled into Nick's side the whole ride back except for when he had to use the rest room. It was at that moment that Nick finally let his questions be asked. How did their attempted-killer know where to find them, who they were? They'd taken so many precautions...

Nick carefully rose from his seat, mindful of his leg, and while Jack was showing Frankie a cool trick on his Gameboy, Nick moved into the empty seat beside Greg. "Hey," he said distantly, and Greg nodded his head, patting his knee.

"How ya feeling kiddo?" Greg asked sounded sincere as always, and Nick smiled up at him, silently telling him he'd be fine.

"So where'd you end up going that night...?" Greg looked a little taken aback by the question. "Well, you just seemed really out of it, like, exerted when you came into the hotel. It must have been fun whatever you were doing..." Nick explained carefully. He watched closely as Greg's brows furrowed a little.

"I was at a dance club," he answered simply, shrugging. "I'm really sorry I let you guys - that I wasn't there to protect you, Nick. I really am. I wish I had - I was so stupid." Nick shook his head and punched Greg lightly in the shoulder.

"It's-" Nick started, feeling a little better, his stomach unclench a little before he cocked his head to the side, studying Greg's face. It looked like - like he was wearing makeup, or - "Fine," Nick finished, trying to tame the wild-eyed look he was sure he'd just given at the confused and concerned look on his friend's face. "I'm gonna go back now before - So when Joe comes out. Thanks," he finished sheepishly, getting up, out of Jack's seat and walking back to his own, sighing uncomfortably when he was settled.

When Joe sat back down, he looked at his brother and smiled a little until he noticed a bead of sweat rolling ever-so-slowly down Nick's forehead. "Babe?" he whispered, and Nick looked at him as though he just realized Joe had gotten there.

"Hey Joe," he asked softly, hesitantly, "How hard did you - did you hit him hard enough to leave marks?"


End file.
